Leading by doing

A week back, I took part in the annual Dalma Trek, organised by Tata Adventure Sports Foundation (TSAF) in Jamshedpur. It is an annual event, open to all age groups. About 600 people took part in it. This is similar to the annual marathons, like the recently started StanC Mumbai Run etc. Dalma is a hill range in Jamshedpur, its highest point being 3000 feet above sea level (this is the height we actually climbed during the trek).

While coming down from the hill, I found that about 15 steps ahead of me was Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman climber of the Mt. Everest and current director of TSAF. (Of course there were other people along with us, including one of her assistants). She accompanies most treks that TSAF organises and I have heard that she takes real good care of the participants. But the point I am writing this post is not this.

Now all trekkers had been instructed not to carry any polybags and even if we do we should not throw it on the way. During the way down, Bachendri Pal spotted some polybags lying somewhere away from the path we were walking down. Her first reaction was bit of anger. But then she went ahead and picked them up. Her assistant insisted that she should give them to him (they were a bit dirty), but she replied, "koi baat nahi, zyaada rasta nahi baaki hai". Later on, she displayed her love for nature again when after the group lunch, she saw lot of disposable plates, with aluminium foil (with leftover food on them), strewn all over the base camp area. And there were some 50-75 of them. She asked us ('us' = team from XLRI; we were the last team to leave the base camp after the lunch got over) if we could help her on voluntary basis. Some of us came ahead. And there she was again, picking up plates wherever she found them and threw them in the dump made nearby. I think its quite inspiring for all her juniors who would see their madam doing this.

Fundamentals of leadership: I believe, we can learn by such small instances.

MBA or any other professional course on leadership, can probably never teach us this.